His biggest qualification in my book is that he wasn't in a union leadership position when the senior man LOA, and LOA 14 were signed.

The current leadership loves to point at TR and pretend that they were powerless to stand up to him rather than just unwilling. It's like an FO letting their Captain overspeed the flaps because they didn't want to rock the boat, then being upset when the company holds them responsible for the damage as well.

What CJ could’ve done differently?

Also, what background and skills TM has to become the new union leader and our transition to PBS?

He could have spoken up in opposition against the MEC chair being given unilateral negotiating authority. I believe CJ has a lot of support amongst the pilot group, and I believe his opinion is respected. So I find it hard to believe that if CJ spoke up none of the voting reps would have listened.

TM has repeatedly said that the company needs to demonstrate they can negotiate in good faith by fixing the major issues with LOA 14 before we talk about giving up our golden goose. I think that's definitely a step in the right direction.

I thought MW was fired from union positions for rocking the boat (standing up to the company and/or MEC). Certain aspects of the union declined significantly after that dismissal.

I respect and understand your point, nevertheless I think all the voting reps could not care less about CJ or the pilot group at that point. We were doomed. Moreover, it’s clear that we will get PBS...a let it burn/pay to last day approach while valid is also a dangerous way to get a really bad contract if negotiations turn in company favor...as the same reason company now can manipulate the grid or have all red without consequences

This is EXACTLY correct the "grid" these candidates can argue all day about the best way to implement this. But any language attached to that "Grid" will be a hard no from most everyone.

I hope all carriers get away from the let it burn till the last day mentality. We don't have to be out there with signs selling the farm but watching it burn is a little dramatic.

if the MEC wishes to change that language, they need only ask the company

Let me be blunt: CJ LaCour should not receive your vote for Captain Representative, ALPA Council 69. It’s easy to think that he should – he’s the person most pilots reference for career-oriented data. Admittedly, the dude is great with excel. Admittedly, he lost his position as Vice Chair for a reason.

“I want the company to be successful in negotiating PBS.” Read those words. Now read them again. He typed that email. He wrote it, I assume he proof-read it, I assume he sat looking at it time and time again before he sent it out. He advocates for the company over the pilots – this is the man who sat silent in the wake of LOA 14, after all. Or, the alternative, he did not take the time to proof read, and sent it out anyway. Sure, let’s let this guy negotiate PBS.

Shall we discuss his abuse of pilot dues? Or should we discuss how he stole YOUR money, by taking unsanctioned ALPA Leave when he should have been on Medical Leave? I challenge him to point to the section of the ALPA Constitution, or the section of the By-Laws that authorized him to draw ALPA Leave, as a Vice MEC, without a medical. Understand, I feel for the dude – losing your medical is a *****. But I would have been forced to long-term disability at 60% pay, when he claimed 100% pay, covered by you, through ALPA.

Constituents voice concerns. He dismisses them. By failing to act, you are an accomplice. By failing to dissent, you are in agreement. He was in agreement with all of the terrible deals that came from the Ricks administration. And CJ, if you weren’t, show me where you publicly dissented from theagreements being made during that time. Yup, you can’t. In fact, many of those deals you praised. But I’m sure you can find some smart-ass way of dismissing these concerns. Show me where you dissented. You sat silent, taking your dirty money, paid for by the hard working pilots of this company, and did nothing.

There’s easily a hundred pilots at this company who can make spreadsheets. Show me one with the balls to publicly stand up to an MEC who’s making bad decisions and hurting the pilot group. Excel isn’t impressive. There’s a MasterClass for that. Integrity is impressive. Integrity is about doing what’s right when nobody is looking. And CJ, you ain’t got it.

Don’t vote for CJ. His responses on here, and in BSG have been condescending and dismissive. He’s not sensitive to your concerns, and as evidence by the already existing dumpster-fire conversations he’s tried holding in public forums, he simply doesn’t care. He wrote his history, and it’s not on his side. Protect the pilot group, and vote for Taylor. I will be. He might be new, but at least he’ll do what’s right. “I want the company to be successful” my ass. What a dumpster-fire of an email, and what a clown to write it.

Because I had this bad habit of telling TR, ST, KS, and others what I was actually thinking?

Yep. Wrote it. Looked at it again, maybe even a third time. Put in bold, underlined, and italics too. Still stand by it, but it's obvious you quit reading at that point. I suggest reading until the next line I put in bold print. I'll put it here just for you:

Hmm, kinda repeated myself there. Maybe I should've read that line again. But you get the drift.

I'm kinda curious how it's unsanctioned when it has to make it through the rest of the MEC leadership, and finance at National. I didn't ask for it, I didn't request it. The MEC insisted, due to the work I was doing at the time, and continued to do for the period of time I was out. No doubt you'll criticize me for that, but theft it was not.

Please show me where I sang the praises of LOA 14 or deals like Senior Manning. As I see it, my statements have been quite the contrary.

Reponses to the rest of all this will be forthcoming separately.

It’s a shame the amount of ignorance being espoused on this thread. Ignorance to history. Ignorance to the structure of our union. Ignorance to protocol and bylaws... Many of you are unwittingly showing your ignorance. You should accept more responsibility for learning your craft and understanding ALPA. Because it’s clear many of you don’t have a clue.

*Cue the “My UnIoN dOeSn’T cOmMmUnIcAtE wItH mE!” crowd. News flash, it’s still your responsibility. I took it upon myself. This is just a means to an end for most pilots and it shows. Problem is when the means becomes more permanent in an industry downturn. Now you all get to learn the hard way.